Hi everyone. :) How are all of you? I don't really have anything to say, so I'll let you read.
Shocked yowls rose from the Clan cats.
Ravenpaw staggered forward, her right foreleg glistening with fresh blood. "We m-met five five Riverclan warriors by the stream, not far from Sunningrocks. Oakheart was among them."
"Oakheart!" Graypaw gasped. "She is the deputy of Riverclan. She's one of the greatest warriors in the forest. Poor Ravenpaw. I feel so bad for her. Hopefully she isn't hurt too bad!"
Firepaw nodded in agreement, turning back to listen to Ravenpaw again.
"Redtail warned Oakheart to keep her hunting parties out or Thunderclan territory. She said the next Riverclan warrior to be caught in Thunderclan territory would be killed, but Oak... Oakheart would not back down. She said her Cl-Clan had to be fed, whatever we threatened." Ravenpaw paused to wheeze for breath. She stood awkwardly to keep wight off her shoulder.
"That's when Riverclan attacked. It was hard to see what was happening. The fighting was vicious. I saw Oakheart had Redtail pinned to the ground, but then Redtail..." Suddenly Ravenpaw's eyes rolled in her head and she lurched sideways. She fell off the Highrock and collapsed on the ground.
A ginger queen ran over and licked her cheek before calling out, "Spottedleaf!"
Out of the fern shaded coner bounded the tortoiuseshell tom Firepaw had seen earlier sitting by Graypaw. He ran over to Ravenpaw and gently rolled him over with his pink nose. Then he meowed, "She'll be fine. All I need to do is get some cob webs." He sprinted back to his den.
There was silence, but ir was broken by a mournful howl. Firepaw and all the overs turned just in time to see a large, dark tabby stagger into the camp. Between her theeth was the lifeless bosy of another cat, its bright ginger tail hanging limp in the dust.
Shock rippled through the Clan, and beside him Graypaw froze, eyes side. "Redtail..." Graypaw whispered, almoust too quietly for Firepaw to hear.
"How did this happen, Tigerclaw?" Bluestar demanded.
Tigerclaw gently set down Redtail and looked up at Bluestar. "She died a warrior's death. With honor, struck down by Oakheart. I couldn't save her, but I managed to take Oakheart's life while she was gloating over her victory." Her voice was strong as she continued, "Redtail's death was not in vain. I doubt we will see Riverclan hunters in our territory any time soon."
Firepaw looked at Graypaw, her eyes where dark with sadness.
After a moment's pause, the Clan cats stepped forward to groom Redtail's fur and whisper good byes to him.
"What are they doing?" Firepaw asked Graypaw.
"Though Redtail has joined Starclan, the Clan will share tongues with her one last time." Graypaw told him, slowly taking her eyes off the dead body.
"Starclan?" Firepaw echosed.
"Starclan are all the Clan cats who have died for their Clan. They watch over all of us." Graypaw explained, looking up at the sky. "You can see them in Silverpelt. Silverpelt is the thick band of stars you see every night. Each star is a Starclan warrior. There will be a new one tonight." She finished sadly.
Firepaw nodded and Graypaw padded forward to share tongues with the dead deputy.
Bluestar had stayed silent on the Highrock, his eyes distant as he thought about something. But now, he shook his head and jumped down. He padded over to Redtail and raised his head.
Cats moved out of the way as Bluestar spoke, voice thick with grief "Redtial was a brave warrior. Her loyalty to Thunderclan could never be doubted. I always relied on her judgment, for it wore witness to the needs of the Clan, and was never swayed by self-interest or pride. She would have made a fine leader."
Slowly, Bliestar sank to the ground, head bowed, and paws tucked under him as he grieved for his lost deputy. Many othr cats joined, copying his mournful pose.
Firepaw watched silently. Though he didn't know Redtail, he couldn't help but feel moved.
Graypaw watched the cats sadly. "Dustpaw will be sad." She told Firepaw. "She was Redtail's apprentice. She's the brown tabby over there." She nodded towards the group of cats. "I wonder who Dustpaw's new mentor will be?"
Firepaw followed Graypaw's gaze to the young brown tabby she-cat who was touching her nose to Redtail's fur, saying somthing that Firepaw couldn't hear.
Firepaw looked at Bluestar instead. "How long will Bluestar sit with her?"
"Probably the whole night." Graypaw answered. "Redtail was Bluestar's deputy for many moons. It'll be hard to for him let go of such a great warrior and friend."
Suddenly, Tigerclaw stood up and walked over to Ravenpaw. Spottedleaf was using one of his front paws to hold cob webs on Ravenpaw's wound.
"What is he doing?" Firepaw asked Graypaw.
"Stopping the bleeding. The cut was pretty bad." Graypaw shook her head sadly. "Ravenpaw has always been jumpy, but nothing like this. Let's go see if she is awake yet."
Firepaw followed the gray she-cat accros the clearing and they stopped a good distance away to wait.
"Is she going to be okay?" Tigerclaw was asking, sniffing at Ravenpaw. Her face showed no emotion, but her eyes showed a bit of worry.
"Of course." Spottedleaf answered. "She just needs some rest. I think she should stay here until the wound is fully healed."
"Thank you, Spottedleaf. We don't want him falling behind in training." Tigerclaw purred, touching her nose to the medicine cat's ear before turning and leaving. But as she turned, she saw Graypaw and Firepaw.
"Who's this?" She asked, walking over and looking down at them.
"He's the new apprentice!" Graypaw said.
Tigerclaw sniffed at Firepaw. She took a step back, and narrowing her eyes, meowed, "You're a Kittypet!" She didn't sound mean, just surprised.
"I was a Kittypet." Firepaw admitted. "But I am going to train to be a warrior."
Tigerclaw seemed to have a far away look in her eyes for a second. But she quickly shook it off and meowed, "Ah, yes. Bluestar told me that he had stumbled over some stray Kittypet. So he is actually going to let you train, is he?"
"That's right." Firepaw nodded.
Tigerclaw eyes him thoughtfully. "Then I shall watch your progress with interest." She walked away.
"Do you think she liked me?" Firepaw asked, puffing out his chest.
"I don't know." Graypaw whispered, watching the warrior walk away.
Just then Ravenpaw stirred and opened her eyes. "Is... Is she gone?" She asked, looking around quickly.
"Tigerclaw? Yes." Graypaw answered, bounding over to her friend. "She is."
"Hi, there." Firepaw said. He was about to introduce himself when he was interrupted.
"Go away!" Spottedleaf protested. "I won't get anything done with all these cats in my way!" He pushed his way between the two apprentices, though there was a glimmer of amusement in his amber eyes.
"Sorry, Spottedleaf." Graypaw said. "Come on, Firepaw. I'll show you around the camp. Bye, Ravenpaw!" The two walked away, Graypaw looking excited at her new job as a guide.
"You know the Highrock already." Graypaw flicked her tail at the big rock. "Bluestar always adresses the Clan from there. His den is down there." She lifted her nose toward the hollow in the side of the Highrock. "The den was carved out many moons ago by an ancient stream." Hanging lichen drapped the entrance, sheltering the leader's nest from wind and rain.
"All the warriors sleep over there." Graypaw continued, leading him over to a large bush. "The senior warriors sleep in the middle, where it's the warmest. They usually share prey by the clump of nettles." She nodded towards the nettles. "Younger warriors eat near by. Eating with the senior warriors is a big honor."
"What about the other cats?" Firepaw asked, fascinated but overwhelmed by the Clan's traditions and rituals.
"Queens share the same den as the warriors and shares their work. But when they are expecting or careing for kits, they stay in the nursery." Graypaw said. "The elders have their own den. Come on, I'll show you." She took off running across the clearing.
Firepaw sprinted after her and they stopped in front of fallen tree. Outside the den where four elderly cats sharing a plump rabit.
"Dustpaw and Sandpaw would have broght them that." Graypaw told Firepaw. "One of the apprentices's duties is to hunt and care for the elders."
"Hello, youngsters." One of the elders meowed.
"Hello, Smallear." Graypaw dipped her head respectfully.
"This must be our new apprentice. Firepaw, right?" Meowed a second cat, this one has patchy fur and a stump where her tail should be.
"That's right." Firepaw nodded respectfully.
"I'm Halftail." Purred the brown she-cat. "Welcome to the Clan."
"Have you two eaten?" Asked Smallear. Firepaw and Graypaw shook their heads. "Well, there is enough here. Dustpaw and Snadpaw are turning into fine hunters. Do you mind if these youngsters share a mouse, One-eye?"
The pale tabby tom who lay beside her shook his head. Firepaw noticed that one of his eyes where cloudy and sightless. "What about you Dappletail?"
The other elder, a tortoiseshell tom with a gray muzzle, meowed in a voice cracked with age, "Of course not."
"Thank you." meowed Graypaw eagerly. She stepped forward and took a large mouse from the pile of prey, then dropped it at Firepaw's feet. "You haven't tasted mouse before, have you? You can have the first bite then. Just save me some!"
Firepaw suddenly felt excited about having his first peice of prey. The warm scents made his mouth water. Firepaw crouched down and took a big bite. It was juicy and tender, full of flavor.
"How is it?" Graypaw asked.
"Fantastic!" Firepaw mumbled, mouth still full.
"Move over then!" Graypaw purred as she settled down by Firepaw and took a bite. As the two shared the mouse, they listened to the elders talk.
"How long untill Bluestar appoints the new deputy?" Asked Smallear.
"What did you say, Smallear?" Asked One-eye.
"I think your hearing has gotten as poor as your eyesight!" Snapped Smallear impatiently. "I said, how long untill Bluestar appoints the new deputy?"
One-eye ignored Smallear and instead spoke to the tortoiseshell tom. "Dappletail, do you remember when Bluestar himself was made deputy?"
"Oh yes!" Dappletail nodded. "He had worked long and hard for it."
"He will not be happy having to appoint a new deputy." Smallear observed. "Redtail served him long and well. But he'll need to make up his mind quickly. According to Clan custom, the choice has to be made before moonhigh after the death of the old deputy."
"At least this time the choice is obvious." Meowed Halftail. Firepaw raised his head and looked around the clearing. Who could Halftail mean?
To Firepaw all the warriore looked like they could be deputy. Maybe he meant Tigerclaw, he was the one who had avenged Redtail's death.
Tigerclaw was sitting a little ways away, his ears angled towards the elders' conversation.
As Firepaw licked the last bits of flavors from his whiskers, he heard Bluestar call the Clan together. He stared down at Redtail's body as he started, "A new deputy mist be appointed. But first, let's thank Starclan for the life of Redtail. Tonight she will join the stars."
Silence fell over the Clan as they took a moment to look up at the darkening sky, the first stars starting to show.
"And now I shall name the new deputy." Bluestar meowed. "I say these words before the body of Redtail, so that his spirit may hear and approve my choice."
Firepaw looked over at Tigerclaw. The dark warrior sat there calmly, though in her amber eyes was hunger. She wanted to be deputy.
"Lionheart." Announced Bluestar. "Lionheart will be the new deputy of Thunderclan."
Firepaw was curious what Tigerclaw's reaction would be. But Tigerclaw only stood and walked over to congratulate the new deputy, giving her a nudge so hearty that it almost knocked the golden tabby off balance.
"Why didn't he make Tigerclaw deputy?" Firepaw asked Graypaw.
"Probably because Lionheart has been a warrior longer, so he has a lot more experience." Graypaw murmured back, still looking up at Bluestar.
He spoke again, "Redtail was also mentor to young Dustpaw. Since there must be no delay in the training of our apprentices, I shall appoint Dustpaw's new mentor immediately. Darkstripe, you are ready for your first apprentice, so you will continue Dustpaw's training. You had a fine mentor in Tigerclaw, and I expect you to pass on some of the excellent skills you where taught."
The tabby warrior swelled with pride as she showed her acceptance with a nod. She strode over to Dustpaw, bent her head, and rather awkwardly touched noses with her new apprentice. Dustpaw flicked her tail respectfully, but her eyes where still dull with grief for her lost mentor.
Bluestar spoke again, "I shall keep vigil with Redtail's body tonight, before we bury him at sunrise." He jumped down from the Highrock and walked over to lay beside Redtail's body once more. Many of the other cats joined him, Dustpaw and Smallear among them.
"Should we sit with them too?" Firepaw suggested. The thought didn't appeal to him and he was really tired from the long and busy day.
"No." Graypaw shook her head. "Only the cats close to Redtail will lay with him tonight. Come on, I'll show you to our den." Firepaw wws lead over to a thick bush of ferns behind a mossy tree stump.
"This is the apprentices' den." Graypaw told him. "All the apprentices share prey by this stump."
"How many apprentices are there?" Firepaw asked.
"You and me." Graypaw began listing. "Ravenpaw, and then Dustpaw and Sandpaw."
As the two sat down by the tree stump, a young tom crawled out from under the ferns. He had ginger fur, like Firepaw, but much paler. And Firepaw could see darker stripes that where barely visible.
"So here comes the new apprentice!" The tom said loudly, looking over at Firepaw.
"Hello." Firepaw meowed.
The other cat sniffed the air. "You're a Kittypet!" He narrowed his eyes. "Bluestar is bringing Kittypets into the Clan now? She must have bees in her brain."
"Don't mind Sandpaw, he's usually not this bad tempered." Graypaw told Firepaw.
Sandpaw ignored Graypaw and kept talking. "You'll have to work hard if you want to stay here. It may prove too challenging for you." He paused before adding on, "But if you do stay, it might be nice having another tom around. All these she-cats in the apprentice den is getting annoying."
"Hey!" Graypaw gasped as Sandpaw began to walk away. But Whitestorm stopped him.
"Sandpaw, be nice to your den mates." Whitestorm told him, then spoke to all three. "You should all be getting some sleep. It's getting late and training starts early tomorrow."
"Yes. I'm sorry, Whitestorm." Sandpaw nodded and padded into the ferns again. With a flick of her tail, Graypaw lead Firepaw into the den. It was soft with moss and the moon light made everything a delicate shade of green. The air was filled with fern scent.
"Where do I sleep?" Firepaw asked.
"Anywhere." Sandpaw growled. "Just not near me." He pushed his mossy nest around with his paws before finally circling and laying down.
Graypaw amd Firepaw shared glances but said nothing. Firepaw gathered moss together into a nest and then settled down. He quickly fell to sleep.
Please review, and I hope all you are having/had a great Thanksgiving! :)